Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
See descriptions of these events Page 1 of 21
Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
From the Editor History is a great part of our life and Eric Nilsson has provided us with some of the memorable events that occurred during the months of June and July (front and back covers). He has also provided a short narrative for each event. On “How to Avoid Job Search Agony,” only Jerry Clifford can accurately compare the agony of: a one-armed man hanging off a cliff when he gets an itch to that of an individual on a job search who puts himself in a position where he just can’t scratch. Every one welcomes a “gentle pat on the shoulder” especially during difficult times. Learn more and subscribe to the ETP LIFE LINE Support Group.
Untouchable? Learn its modern-day workplace meaning from Rod Colon’s “Become an Untouchable NOW!” and Gary Lieberman’s “On Becoming an Untouchable.” We are proud to acknowledge and spotlight Tiana K. Reid as the new addition to the Empowering Today’s Professionals (ETP) staff.
Let your mouse guide you through this issue of Lamplighter Article Front Cover From the Editor IN THE SPOTLIGHT — Tiana K. Rod June/July Events Hurricane Sandy Resources Special Feature: Become an Untouchable – NOW! On Becoming an Untouchable Life Line Support Group Social Media Checklist Barbara Daisak's Tech Tip Writer's Block Writings from the World Wide Web Coach Rod's Message Lamplighter Survey (Clifford's Notes) How To Avoid Job Search Agony 5 Essential Steps to Info Marketing Success Making a Lifetime of Savings Last About Frontline Learning Lamplighter Contributors Lamplighter Staff ETP and You To Help Veterans Back Cover
We are delighted to feature the following articles from our very generous contributors: Sandee Hemphill’s “5 Essential Steps to Info Marketing Success.” “Social Media Checklist” by Phyllis Shelton “Social Media Tech Tips” by Barbara Daisak Eric Nilsson’s helpful collections from his “neverending” research undertaking: Writers Block Writings from the World Wide Web We would like to raise your awareness on the following: About Frontline Learning Making a Lifetime of Savings Last Hurricane Sandy Resources ETP and You to Help Veterans Pick up and apply the golden nuggets from Coach Rod’s Messages section. So sit back and relax and enjoy reading the Lamplighter. After which, we encourage you to help us know how we are doing by filling out the Lamplighter’s Survey on page 14.
Aida A. Rodriguez Page 2 of 21
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Spotlight on
We are proud to welcome and feature Tiana K. Reid, our new Administrative Assistant. Tiana’s educational and professional qualifications are great assets to Empowering Today’s Professionals (ETP). At the age of twelve, Tiana acquired early business experience by working summers at her father's technology consulting company. With travels throughout the eastern United States and internationally to France and Spain, Tiana transferred life experiences into a keen business savvy, which has contributed to the success of different companies where she has worked. Currently, Tiana is an active member of Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP), and supports other members with her administrative and computer skills. Monitoring the ETP Membership@etpnetwork.org email account, Tiana coordinates requests from members, web site visitors, vendors, or other affiliate organizations. Leveraging her Microsoft Office skills, Tiana is a contributing member to the ETP team that is developing the electronic book version (EBook) of Win The Race For 21st Century Jobs by Rod Colon. Working collaboratively with her father, ETP Executive Director, Carl E. Reid, Tiana is also developing an ETP organizational operations reference manual. Tiana’s business, technical, and team skills enable her to provide a positive contribution to the success of any company. Connect with Tiana: http://www.TianaKReid.com| Tel: 914-563-6991 | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
June- July Events June 5, 1783
The first sustained flight occurred as a hot-air balloon was launched at Annonay, France, by brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier. Their 33-foot-diameter globe aerostatique ascended about 6,000 feet. In September, they repeated the experiment for King Louis XVI, using a sheep, rooster and duck as the balloon's passengers.
June 14, Univac 1, the world's first commercial electronic computer was unveiled in Philadelphia. It was in1951 stalled at the Census Bureau and utilized a magnetic tape unit as a buffer memory. Valentina Tereshkova, 26, became the first woman in space as her Soviet spacecraft, Vostok 6, took June 16, off from the Tyuratam launch site. She manually controlled the spacecraft completing 48 orbits in 71 1963 hours before landing safely. On the fields near Waterloo in central Belgium, 72,000 French troops, led by Napoleon, suffered a crushing military defeat from a combined Allied army of 113,000 British, Dutch, Belgian, and PrusJune 18, sian troops. Thus ended 23 years of warfare between France and the other powers of Europe. Napo1815 leon was then sent into exile on the island of St. Helena off the coast of Africa. On May 5, 1821, the former vain-glorious Emperor died alone on the tiny island, abandoned by everyone. In July of 1863, General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia of 75,000 men and the 97,000 man Union Army of the Potomac, under George G. Meade, concentrated together at Gettysburg and fought the Battle of Gettysburg. July 1-3, Of the more than 2,000 land engagements of the Civil War, Gettysburg ranks supreme. Although the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg did not end the war, it was the great battle of the war, marking the point when the ultimate victory of the North over the South became clear to both sides alike. Here at Gettysburg, on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, more men fought and died than in any other battle in American history. July 4, 1776
The Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies' separation from Great Britain. The Constitution provides the legal and governmental framework for the United States, however, the Declaration, with its eloquent assertion "all Men are created equal," is equally beloved by the American people.
July 14, The fall of the Bastille occurred at the beginning of the French Revolution. 1789 A global audience watched on television as Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong took his first step July 20, onto the moon. As he stepped onto the moon's surface he proclaimed, "That's one small step for 1969 man, one giant leap for mankind" - inadvertently omitting an "a" before "man" and slightly changing the meaning.
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Hurricane Sandy Resources
Give to The Brooklyn Tabernacle Donate to Grand St. Settlement HURRICANE SANDY RESOURCES What to Do After a Hurricane Google Crisis Response Map with Power Outages, Shelters, Weather and more Information by State CT - DE - MA - MD - ME - NC - NH - NJ - NY - PA- RI - VA - VT New York City Information NYC.gov - MTA map - Notify NYC alerts - Transit Find GAS IRS Tax Relief to Hurricane Sandy Victims FEMA Assistance for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut residents Disaster Relief Funding Assistance Hurricane Sandy Guidebook Hurricane Sandy Clean Up Jobs Small Business Administration Help United States Government Response Updates Read more: http://www.etpnetwork.org/p/mission.html#ixzz2Ct68ce46 Page 5 of 21
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— SPECIAL FEATURE — (Editor’s note) We are fortunate and delighted to present the ‘wake-up call’ from Coach Rod’s emailed message, “Become an Untouchable – NOW!” and the great follow-up article of Dr. Gary Lieberman, “On Becoming an Untouchable.” secure a place for yourself in the relationship-based global economy of the future.
Become an Untouchable – NOW! In his book, “ The World is Flat,”(copyright © 2005 by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux), New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman, presents a view of the future in which evolving technologies will level the playing field for business owners worldwide. Traditional corporate hierarchies will likely be replaced by highly specialized online communities sharing similar business interests. According to Friedman, to survive in this ever-flattening world, individuals must diversify their skills so that they remain viable competitors across many different careers. Those who do, those who attain a level of specialization that cannot be outsourced are, he claims, "untouchable." So if you want job security, join their ranks. Become an “untouchable" now. “And if you don't?” The fallout from such dramatic technological change may mean that those who haven't kept pace will lose the race for 21st century jobs. The non-profit group I founded, Empowering Today’s Professionals, is staking out territory in this new world to keep its members informed, educated, inspired, and prepared for sweeping change by teaching the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set. Individuals who have learned to manage their careers as a business will be well-positioned to deal with whatever comes their way. Those who don’t may well find themselves swallowed up in the connectionless void of The Black Hole. I am sending a wake-up call to those students and professionals that still believe networking is about tossing individuals into a room where they listen to each other’s elevator pitches, exchange business cards, and then call it a day. Networking is much, much more than that. Networking is learning about the most effective ways to connect with others. It’s about building solid, trusted relationships from those connections then nurturing those relationships. In fact, networking is the insurance policy you take out to
Finally, networking is just good sound business. Through effective networking you build one of the greatest assets to ensure your place as a viable contender in the race for 21st century jobs: business intelligence. As the CEO of ME, Inc., you will use that intelligence to run your career as a business and the one activity you must never stop is networking. It's the machinery that drives your CEO of ME, Inc. business. That shouldn’t come as a big surprise; after all, no effective CEO could stay in business long if he or she stopped making contacts — without them, your days as a CEO of ME, Inc. or anything else would be numbered. Own your career … You can do it!
Rod Colón Hi Rod, This is great advice! Working to become untouchable has always been my mantra. There are a few simple rules as I see it:
Gary Lieberman, Ph.D On Becoming an Untouchable By Gary Lieberman, Ph.D. For the longest time, the term ‘untouchable’ has had a negative connotation. Most often the term describes a person of arrogance who feels they are beyond reproach. Some cultures consider untouchables as having a low societal status, unclean and to be avoided. The meaning changes drastically when you consider it in the context of the modern day workplace. Being an untouchable is someone who truly has achieved job security in a time when arguably most workers admit there is no such thing.
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Volume 5, Issue 1 February-March, 2013
In his 2009, New York Times Op-Ed piece entitled, “The New Untouchables,” Thomas L. Friedman said that being average is not what it used to be. Being average is blending into the woodwork. Average tasks can and often are taken over by computers and outsourcing firms. Untouchables constantly reinvent themselves and are above average workers doing above average tasks. There are several simple rules to follow on the road to becoming untouchable. They are: •
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Diversify your skill set and do not get caught in a single skill vertical silo. Bridge the gap between different technologies. Don’t just do networking or desktop support, become skilled in both and then keep adding skills as you grow. Strive to develop skills in multiple disciplines. For instance study business administration if you are working in technology and vice versa. Most people stay in their comfort zone, they’re either good technically or good managers. Even though it may be difficult and outside of your comfort zone strive to be proficient in both. The more diverse your skills are the more valuable you are to the organization and the more untouchable you become. Untouchables have skill sets that standout and add value to firm’s bottom line. Work scared. Treat every task as if it was your last chance to prove yourself. Put every ounce of effort into everything you do. No matter how small the task is, NEVER miss a deadline without giving your management advanced warning and alternatives that do not hang them out to dry. Once you become known as the ‘go to guy’ who never lets us down, you will be untouchable.
•
players. Those people willing to share their knowledge are team players who become untouchable. Stay out of the organizational politics. Make sure you are above the pettiness and avoid associating with the people who are not trusted or respected. Above all do not join the whiners complaining about what was and is, be all about what could be. Negative energy sucks the air out of a meeting room, so always be positive. A positive attitude, personal integrity, and high standards are keys to becoming untouchable.
Keep networking alive. The last two people I hired were because I picked up the phone and called them. LIFE LINE Support Group The LIFE LINE Support Group was started as the result of friendly conversation between ETP members Adelaida Rodriguez and Carl E. Reid. They identified a need for a communication channel where subscribers support each other through personal challenges. Handling everyday situations, natural disasters or life crises are outside the mission of Empowering Today's Professionals. Subscribe to LIFE LINE Group at
http://lists.etpnetwork.org/lists/info/lifeline When life gets in the way, we could all use a little support, understanding and even prayer. The LIFE LINE Support Group is a quiet, peaceful place where people can seek guidance, [virtual] hand holding or encouragement to handle curve balls thrown by that famous pitcher called LIFE CHALLENGES. As Adelaida Rodriguez puts it, think of the LIFE LINE Group as "A Gentle Pat on the Shoulder", we all need from time to time to get past a LIFE hurdle.
•
Never present a problem to management without also presenting a well thought out solution. Always be known as the forward thinking solution guy not the problem guy. Problem guys disappear, solution guys become untouchable.
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"Subscribe" at http://lists.etpnetwork.org/lists/info/lifeline. Always be a teacher and be willing to share inYou will receive an email. Click on a link in the email to conformation and train other people. The more of firm your subscription to the LIFE LINE Support Group. a resource you become, one that everyone looks Once you subscribe to the LIFE LINE Support Group, you everyone looks to for advice and guidance, the can REACH OUT anytime for Life Life Line Support by more untouchable you become. Did you ever sending an email to hear people say, “I need to touch base with Jim” or LifeLine@lists.etpnetwork.org “I called Jim and he helped me figure out where the You can present the name of a person who is sick on the problem was,” or have you heard the boss say, LIFE LINE Support Group or the name of someone who “Check with Jim before you start this task?” You bethas passed away. You can put yourself on the LIFE LINE ter believe that Jim is untouchable. “For me to Support Group for clarity on making a decision, for examknow and you to find out” people are not team Page 7 of 21
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ple, or just because you want a blessing in your life. The Life Line Support Group is nondenominational, but we recognize a higher power or force can be synergized for positive outcomes by group prayer. You can add the name of a city where there is trouble or a natural disaster, or a situation that could use an extra boost of spiritual support. There is no wrong way to submit a name to the LIFE LINE Support Group. It is unnecessary to give the reason [problem, situation] for submitting a name on the LIFE LINE Support Group. The name is enough. The LIFE LINE Support Group will act for the highest good of the person, group, or place being challenged, regardless of the reason.
Welcome to your Tech Tip!
Subscribe to LIFE LINE Group at
Now that you’re tweeting… How do you tweet for a job? Read on to find out more! Have a social media or great know-how article to read and share? Email me! We will publish it in upcoming issues at bndaisak@verizon.net. And many Thanks to Eric for continual news to use! Your emails are always welcome! Check our next issue for another great Tech and Social Media Tip!
http://lists.etpnetwork.org/lists/info/lifeline
Social Media Checklist
How to Take Full Advantage of Social Media
Less Is More: 7 Advantages of Tweeting for a Job
By Phyllis Shelton
Offer easy ways to share your content via social media. Feature links to your social media profiles on your website. Include social sharing links on your website. Include social sharing links and links to your social media profiles in Your newsletter and email outreach. Choose a Facebook cover photo or Twitter background image that represents your brand. Integrate social media outreach in your overall marketing calendar. Listen for and respond to questions about your organization. Be a go-to resource for news and information about your organization by sharing great content. Have a social media policy and crisis communication plan in place.
by Cathy Vandewater | Published: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 Twitter is becoming the new job board—or so says the Wall Street Journal. The sprawling site, with its disjointed snippets of conversation, endless links and retweets, and tangled webs of followers can be tough to navigate. But master the waters, and you'll have world of opportunity on your hands. Here's why: Click this link to keep reading: http://blogs.vault.com/blog/job-search/less-is-more-6advantages-of-tweeting-for-a-job/
Twitter is ready to be a true news operation Twitter is hiring a 'head of news' in its bid to be even more indispensable to global media, but will it work? There are fewer and fewer jobs in journalism, but last week an ultimate job was posted. Twitter, fast becoming the basic source, tool, and distribution point in news, is
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looking for someone to run its news operation: "You will be responsible for devising and executing the strategies that make Twitter indispensable to newsrooms and journalists, as well as an essential part of the operations and strategy of news organizations and TV news networks. You should have a strong vision for the broad potential of Twitter and news, while also being able to rigorously manage and scale the news team's daily impact." Well, there. The whole ball of wax.
mary written, there’s a lot to tackle. Should you be more active in LinkedIn Answers? Participate in discussions in Groups? Start listing the books you’ve read? Where to begin? To avoid feeling overwhelmed, you might want to start with the familiar. You are probably already on Facebook (as there are now almost one billion users, it’s kind of hard to avoid). If you feel pretty comfortable posting status updates to your friends, why not start using LinkedIn with that same approach?
Click here to read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/06 /twitter-hiring-head-of-news-journalism
How to Maximize LinkedIn Broadcasts for Your Job Search Trying to decide how “open” to be on LinkedIn, or attempting to tone down your job search activity? A major consideration for you is your employment status. Those who have jobs to protect have different concerns than those who are unemployed. Employment Status Considerations If you currently have a job, you probably want to be toned down in making your LinkedIn activites [sic] public because your current employer may notice and be very concerned - perhaps even terminating you. On the other hand, if you are unemployed, you probably want to be more open, once your Profile is set up, so that you can attract the attention of recruiters and employers. Read more at this link: http://www.job-hunt.org/social-networking/LinkedInjob-search/maximizing-linkedin-broadcasts.shtml
It’s not terribly different. You’re sharing the things that interest you, or that will be helpful to the people you know. It’s just in the professional realm instead of the personal. (Although if you are in an industry that relies on a personal connection, I think it’s OK to blur the lines slightly.) Click the link to keep reading: http://www.careerealism.com/linkedin-status-updates-jobsearch/
Do All Job Seekers Need a Personal Website? By Lindsay Olson | May 2, 2013 You've polished your résumé. Updated your LinkedIn profile. Networked like crazy. And still you haven't been able to get your foot in the door for the job you want. What's the secret to getting the attention of hiring managers? It just might be having your own website. According to a study by Workfolio, a new professional visibility company that provides personal website services for job seekers and executives, 56 percent of hiring managers are more impressed by a personal website than any other branding tool you could use. And yet, only 7 percent of job seekers have websites. Why the disconnect?
7 Status Updates To Post On LinkedIn When In A Job Search By Kristin Johnson If you’re like many of my clients, you know you need to be more active on LinkedIn. But, you feel like you don’t know where to start. Right? Once you get a professional headshot up and your sum-
The reason for the disparity may be because personal branding websites are still relatively new, and because most people have no idea of what to put on their sites. We've seen tools like About.me and VisualCV.com, but the category is still evolving and improving. Read more at this link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voicescareers/2013/05/02/do-all-job-seekers-need-a-personalwebsite
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Job Seekers: 5 Smart Steps On Twitter By Rosa Elizabeth Vargas ' Every job seeker who is using Twitter for job search purposes pretty much just gets on board and hastily creates a Twitter account. However, a few calculated steps will be invaluable in the launching of your Twitter account for an effective job search campaign. Please read the following and see if you can tweak your account today: Read the article here: http://www.careerealism.com/job-seekers-5-smart-steps-ontwitter/
Plurals and Apostrophes (Mostly) Don’t Mix by Mark Nichol The apostrophe has three functions: To help indicate possession (boy’s), to mark contraction (it’s), and to convert a singular letter, number, or initialism to a plural. However, the mark has all but been relieved of duty in its third task. One of the few categories in which apostrophes are still retained for plural usage is when plurals of letters are concerned. In expressing how many times a letter appears in a word, for example, one would write “There are five e’s in beekeeper”; it would be distracting to write “There are five es in beekeeper.” This style also applies to the expressions “Mind your p’s and q’s” and “Dot the i’s and cross the t’s.” (Note, however, that in these idiomatic uses, contrary to the previous example, the letters are not italicized to indicate that they are being employed to refer to themselves.) However, legibility is not a concern when uppercase letters are concerned: No apostrophes are necessary in “She received three As, two Bs, and one C on her report card.” (Note that names of letter grades are not italicized.) But to avoid confusion, don’t start a sentence with “As” or “Is” to refer to more than one uppercase letter; the resemblance to the words As and Is will distract readers.
Apostrophe Placement in Proper Names by Mark Nichol What do the brand names Bakers Choice, the Diners Club, and Mrs. Fields Cookies have in common? Besides prompting hunger, they’re all “supposed” to have apostrophes in their names. So, why don’t they? A choice that belongs to bakers is a bakers’ choice, a club that belongs to diners is a diners’ club, and cookies that belong to Mrs. Fields are Mrs. Fields’s (or, depending on which style tradition you adhere to, Mrs. Fields’) cookies. The name for the Diners Club gets a pass because it can also be argued that it refers to a club for diners, and thus is attributive (for the same reason that, for example, the name of the California Teachers Association lacks an apostrophe — it serves, rather than is a possession of, teachers).
The article continues at this link: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/plurals-andapostrophes-mostly-dont-mix/
5 Ways to Fix the Comma Splice by Mark Nichol A comma splice is simply a sentence in which a comma is called on to do more than is appropriate for the workaday but weak punctuation mark. When a sentence contains two independent clauses — each of which could essentially stand on its own — separated by a comma (or by nothing at all, in which case it’s called a fused sentence), employ one of these five strategies to fix the splice and create a correct connection: The article continues at this link: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/5-ways-to-fix-thecomma-splice/
The article continues at this link: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/apostrophe-placementin-proper-names/ Page 10 of 21
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New Formats As the Internet has evolved, it’s allowed us to experiment with online content – including how we present our career history to potential employers. Here are some newer formats: See the full article here: http://www.careerealism.com/cv-format/
Why Communicating Through E-mail Is An Ineffective Job Search Strategy
How Hiring Managers Make Hiring Decisions
By Elisa Sheftic
By Jessica Simko Every day, millions of job seekers find themselves struggling to understand one big question: What does it take to actually get a job offer? Interviews come and go but no job offers. What gives? The whole job search process has changed up so much in the past few years but at the end of the day, there is one thing that has not changed at all – you can only get a job offer as a result of your performance in a job interview.
Are you using an ineffective job search strategy? As an agency recruiter and career coach, I speak to 30-50 job seekers a week on average. Inevitably, one of my first questions is: “What have you done thus far for your job search?” The typical response includes:
However, if you don’t have a fundamental understanding of who actually gets job offers, it doesn’t really make a difference if you land five or 50 job interviews. It’ll be tough to land a job. See the full article here: http://www.careerealism.com/hiring-managersdecisions/
CV Format: Old VS. New As technology has developed, it’s thrown open the windows on the conservative world of job applications. Candidates now have a breadth of options to customize, personalize, and dazzle the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers. However, new isn’t always better and it’s imperative you choose a CV format that’s a good fit for your target sector. Let’s consider some of the choices available. Old Formats Here are some older CV formats: [text omitted]
I have posted my resume on various career sites. I have set up job alerts on The Ladders, Indeed.com, and so on, and periodically check target company sites for new job postings. I apply to job posts that I find online through the job post links. I e-mail people in my “network” to see if they have any job leads. I periodically e-mail agency recruiters to let them know I am still looking.
All of these are necessary actions when you begin your job search. However, I have noticed that after several months with very few interviews, candidates continue to rely on the same “e-mail-heavy” strategies. These steps are initially proactive, but ultimately become reactive… waiting for someone to e-mail you back. So, you might ask yourself, “What other proactive steps can I take?” See the rest of the paragraph — and full article — here: http://www.careerealism.com/ineffective-job-searchstrategy/
4 Tips for Beating the Curse of Long Term Unemployment by Phil Stott Published: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 If you're out of work, there's one major factor that can
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predict how successful you're likely to be in your job hunt: the length of time since you last held a job—with an almost mystical dividing line setting in at the six month period. A recent article in the Atlantic reported on a study that examined the callback rates to interviews for a set of fake resumes where the only major difference was the duration since the "candidate" had become unemployed. Here's the article's author, Matthew O'Brien, on the study's findings: "Employers prefer applicants who haven't been out of work for very long, applicants who have industry experience, and applicants who haven't moved between jobs that much. But how long you've been out of work trumps those other factors[…] People with relevant experience who had been out of work for six months or longer got called back less than people without relevant experience who'd been out of work shorter. […] As long as you've been out of work for less than six months, you can get called back even if you don't have experience. But after you've been out of work for six months, it doesn't matter what experience you have." To get a sense of the scale of the problem, consider last month's BLS data: among the 7.6 percent of the working age population who were reported as unemployed last month, almost 40 percent of the total—some 4.6 million Americans—had been out of work for more than 27 weeks. Combine that with the data from the Atlantic, and the picture is scary: around 3 percent of the working-age population in this country is facing a challenge not just to find open jobs, but a much bigger handicap in the form of employer discrimination at the hiring level.
Kenny, 40, was having a hard time showcasing her varied work experience, including television producer, documentarian, international public speaker and professional dancer, into a cohesive document. Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/20/2836753/theright-resume-takes-time-revisions.html#storylink=cpy
8 New Ways To Look For A Job By Marty Nemko |Posted Apr 18th 2013 @ 11:00AM
Sometimes it feels that job searching hasn't changed in eons: Write a resume, network, answer ads, interview. And you've been using just those to land a job without success. So you're craving something new. Even in our highly-digitized era, I don't believe the cloud can replace coffee -- that is, sitting down over a cup of coffee with a potential job lead. That said, the internet continues to yield new tools, job search strategies, and factors to consider. Here's the latest crop: Read more here: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/04/18/new-job-searchtips/
Resume: Temporary, Part-Time, And Volunteer Jobs By Robin Schlinger
So what can you do? While it's undoubtedly difficult for the long-term unemployed to find work, it's not impossible—especially with the economy continuing to show slight improvement. Here are a few tips for getting your foot back into the door: Continue reading here: http://blogs.vault.com/blog/job-search/4-tips-for-beatingthe-curse-of-long-term-unemployment
The Right Résumé Takes Time, Revisions But Is Key To Finding A Job By Bridgette A. Lacy — Correspondent
Raleigh resident Allison Kenny had more than six versions of her résumé when she took a résumé writing class at Wake Technical Community College.
Many job seekers look for full-time employment after spending a year or more at temporary or part-time jobs, sometimes working for several different agencies or volunteering their services. On their resume, they worry these experiences make them seem like job hoppers or undesirable full-time employees. In fact, part-time, temporary or volunteer work, especially work in your field or that keeps your skills fresh, shows your dedication and flexibility. It may broaden your appeal to companies in industries you never considered before. In your resume, group these jobs under one title to create a unified history. Perhaps you’ve worked at several part-time jobs in restaurants as a waiter; you could group that experi-
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ence under Part-Time Work in Restaurant Industry. If you worked for a temporary or contract agency, list the companies you worked for under your group title (Contract Engineer)—not the agencies. The experience you are highlighting is the valuable experience of working for multiple industries. Keep reading at this link: http://www.careerealism.com/resume-temporary-part-timevolunteer/
Fine Tune Your Tech Resume or Employers Will Tune You Out
Happy birthday to LinkedIn, the biggest social network no one uses The 10-year-old network has more users and higher profits than ever -- thanks in large part to spammy marketing tactics By Robert X. Cringely Yesterday LinkedIn celebrated its 10th birthday-- and what a precocious tween it's turned out to be. Unless you were born to great wealth or live in abject poverty, you probably use LinkedIn. If you're a professional and don't have a resume on LinkedIn, you might as well not exist.
Posted By: Alex Kecskes On: 4/25/2013 2:00 PM With so many applicants chasing fewer and fewer jobs, tech employers are increasingly using industry jargon and specific keywords to weed out less than ideal candidates. Most employers now give resumes a quick 20-second pass if they don’t see their “must have" core attributes. All the more reason to fine-tune your resume to perfection before sending it out.
LinkedIn was one of the first companies to hire data scientiststo turn its petabytes of data into products. It's one of a handful of companies that have made the freemium/ premium business model work, and it's now "gushing profits," according to Wired. Keep reading at this link: http://www.infoworld.com/t/cringely/happy-birthdaylinkedin-the-biggest-social-network-no-one-uses-217993
Getting past Applicant Tracking Systems Read the full article at this link: http://www.beyond.com/articles/fine-tune-your-techresume-12376-article.html
3 Ways To Demonstrate Your Value In A Job Search By Joshua Waldman
When I train career advisors and job seekers on the strategic approach to the job search, I make sure to mention a resume is an obituary. Resumes do a great job telling people what you did. Where you worked. What things you’ve done in your past that made a difference. Resumes have a place in the job search as well. They are requirements in many HR departments’ intake process. They help hiring managers to remember you after an interview and pass you along the chain.
You'd Better Scrub Your Online Image Before Applying for a Job By Brian O'Connell NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- With the U.S. unemployment ratedown to 7.5% and the civilian workforce participation rate down to 63.3%, (down about 9.5 million since 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), U.S. jobseekers have less competition than they have faced at any time in the past four years. In fact, some job-seekers may find themselves in demand for the first time almost a half-decade. According to Robert Half International, some slivers of sunlight are indeed starting to shine on the U.S. job market: Keep reading at this link: http://www.thestreet.com/story/11916408/1/youd-betterscrub-your-online-image-before-applying-for-a-job.html
But to really stand out from the rest requires you demonstrate the value you can bring in the future, not the past. Remember, you are being hired to solve someone’s problems. Keep reading: http://www.careerealism.com/3-waysdemonstrate-job-search/ Page 13 of 21
Coach Rod's Messages
Volume 5, Issue 1 February-March, 2013
Who are the most important people in your life?
This ME, Inc. paradigm is also the centerpiece for my 7Step Job Search Methodology. The beauty of the program The most popular answer to that question is: “My family.” is that new members learn how to integrate their business For most of us, “family” represents those individuals who divisions into a meaningful, end-to-end process that’s senbelieve in us and trust us to provide them with the necessi- sible, manageable, and measurable; that’s right — you can ties of life. develop metrics that will tell you if you’re making progress and help you pinpoint any disconnects. I now ask you to begin thinking of your family as your Personal Board of Directors. These are the people to whom Rod Colon Consulting, LLC has engineered an entirely you have the greatest responsibility and who will benefit new type of job search built on four key interrelated goals: the most from your successful job search. They are also the individuals who endure hardship if your search is unpro1. Develop and refine all networking skills ductive and there’s no other source of income. Put anoth2. Adopt the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set er way, your Personal Board of Directors deserves to have 3. Create powerful and compelling value proposiyou working at nothing less than peak performance during tions to attract potential employers your search. 4. Use a precise, step-by-step approach that leverages the connecting power of advocates to help you That’s why learning to detach from the grip of The Black “network your way” to key people in the hiring Hole is so essential. While The Black Hole is a no-brainer process to use, that personal comfort level comes with a steep price tag: no acknowledgement of resumes and cover letters, no The power of this system is its ability to reduce the time status updates via e-mail or phone calls, and no invitations between the next suitable opportunity and the call for an for interviews … just to name a few. And getting miserable interview. It will help you connect the dots — but only if results like that does nothing to support your Personal you work it properly. And that is a key point: first you Board of Directors. need to learn it, then you need to “work it.” I don’t know about you, but if I’m in a job search and I have a choice between an approach that’s easy to use but lightweight on results or a methodology that requires me to work hard but produces consistently favorable results, I’ll go with the more demanding option every time. Why? There’s simply far too much at stake.
I’d like to welcome you to this incredible organization. We are all about power networking, power business ownership, power value propositions, and an incredible new power job search methodology all rolled up into one.
To get started and overcome the addictive force of The Black Hole and Black Hole-style thinking, I require all new members to commit wholeheartedly to the following paradigm: Each individual will promote himself or herself to the position of CEO of ME, Inc. and make a conscious decision to run his or her own career as a business.
Lamplighter Survey Lamplighter wants to hear from you. As you know, Lamplighter has changed since it first started and much of this change is due to the comments of our readers. Please take a few minutes to tell us what we're doing right and — it's hard to believe — what we are doing wrong. Lamplighter Survey.
What’s the benefit? By segmenting your job search into “branches” or “divisions” (e.g., Research & Development, Sales & Marketing, etc.) that correlate with a traditional corporate structure, you can train yourself to develop two key attributes that are missing from the Black Hole: personal accountability and workload distribution. Together they are an unbeatable combination compared to piling all tasks into one overstuffed filing cabinet in your brain — which often leads to chaos and the need to assign blame when the load becomes unmanageable. Page 14 of 21
Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
HOW TO AVOID JOB SEARCH AGONY By Jerrold (Jerry) Clifford
What is agony? A one-armed man hanging off a cliff when he gets an itch. Recently I went to a networking meeting where attendees were called upon to discuss their success in finding jobs. People presented techniques they were utilizing such as targeting resumes to the position, trying to contact advocates who can positively present the applicant to the hiring manager, and generating cover letters that easily match qualifications to requirements.
A job hunting plan helps overcome these obstacles. If a job search isn’t working, then the job seeker must put a plan together and prepare to make some important changes. To do this, ask yourself some analytical questions such as:
One person was a holdout though. He felt that what worked for him in the past would still work for him although the economy had changed, the company’s needs had changed, he had changed, and his job competition had changed, too. He went on to state that he had been looking for a position (using his old techniques) for a very long time but with no results. He was agonizing over whether he would ever find a job.
Do I have an idea of what problem/s the target company is addressing? Am I qualified for the job? Do I have a plan for obtaining this job or merely going through the motions? Am I using introduction documents (job proposition) correctly? Am I addressing the company’s problems effectively? What message am I trying to convey? Am I generally competent at what they want or actually adept? Can I determine who the hiring manager is? Is there someone credible who can get me or my information in front of this person? Do I have my plan for success in a job interview? Does my on-line/media presence present me in the way I desire and support my stated background? Do I have my references available?
Some people keep doing the same things over and over again even if they don’t get the desired results. Somehow they think that what they did before should yield positive results again. They put themselves in a situation where they just can’t scratch. First, many people don’t have a true job search plan. They go on internet job boards and blindly apply to what they regard as a match (or “close enough” match) to the job listings. They think the person on the receiving end will appreciate what they see, analyze the candidate’s background, and discern just how well they fit the requirements. They spend considerable time completing applications and treating this as a job plan. While this activity makes the candidate feel he/she is working hard at finding a job, usually, in effect, this is just “busy work.” Here are the realities of the present job search environment:
Pre-screening programs eliminate most candidates (even good ones) and resumes and applications don’t even get seen by human resources personnel or hiring managers. When resumes do get screened by real targeted personnel, this is done for just a few seconds and analysis is rarely done.
Being successful in a job search takes preparation and being prepared for a job search is somewhat similar to skin lotion on itchy skin. It can help prevent the agony of a long job search.
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
5 Essential Steps to Info Marketing Success By: Sandee Hemphill
Information products can be the backbone of a profitable business. Whether you’re a coach, an author, a virtual assistant or other service-based professional, you’ll want to extend your resource offerings with info products.
You wouldn’t trust an architect who tried to build your house without a blueprint. Neither should you attempt to create info products without a guide. A blueprint helps you logically move through the creation process.
Quite often I talk with talented entrepreneurs who are reluctant to create info products, citing one or more of the following objections: “I don't know what subject or topics are marketable.” “I don’t have the time to invest in product creation.” “I’m not an expert on __________________.”
A sure way to stay on task is to create an outline that details exactly what you want to tell your audience. The outline will paint a clear picture of your offering, and allow you to easily see the path you want to travel.
Usually I forward an article to them (like this one) to dispel their objections. If you’re creating information products (and if you’re not, you should be), these 5 Essential Steps to Info Marketing Success will help you quickly build the audience of your dreams. Let’s get started. Understanding the Info Marketing Funnel Info Products and Info Marketing are two different functions. Info Products are the products you create to solve your client’s problems. Technically, an info product is the compilation of your intellectual product, produced in a digital format, to be sold or given away via the internet. Info products can solve the problem of connecting with a potential client who is considering purchasing your products or services. Info Marketing is the packaging, promotion and distribution of info products. This skill can naturally follow the production of the info products. These products can be packaged in a variety of formats: e-books, books, training courses, webinars, seminars, DVDs, audio books, websites and blogs. Essential Step #1 – Focus on a Single Message The focus of your product should be a single message. You want to be relevant yet relate factual information on your topic. Cover the general information you want to relay to your audience. Kick it off with a compelling title. Try to narrow your offering and stick to the point. If you bring in too much info, you’re likely to lose your audience. Follow the adage of “less is more” to help you stick to your major points. Essential Step #2 – Create a Blueprint
Essential Step #3 – Draft Compelling Content Compelling content is text that captures the readers’ interest. It’s content that is clear, specific and relevant. When your content is compelling, it creates curiosity and evokes emotion in the reader.
Why focus on compelling content? So you are writing in such a way that your reader stays on your page. You want to hold their attention while providing the valuable information they seek. And, if they like what you provide, it serves as ‘credibility’ to your other products. Essential Step #4 – Fit Your Format to Your Audience Do you know the learning preferences of your audience? Every prospect and client has a learning style that captures their attention. Some will be visual learners while other will be audible. And still others will just want the printed word. Many prefer a combination style that combines print, audio and/or video. You’ll want to design products for the variety of learning styles. Visual Learners – video; webinars; Power Point Audible Learners – podcasts; interviews; teleseminars Print Learners - e-books, e-zines, blogs, special reports; workbooks; manuals Combination Learners – audio or video sets; membership sites; e-courses Essential Step #5 – Package Professionally You can have the best product in the world, but if your graphics don’t sell it, you’ve wasted your time—and energy. Establish a standard for your graphic presentation, and tie it into your branding. Be sure the colors and graphics are consistent with other features of your business, especially your website. If you cater to a professional audience, stick with professional graphics. If you cater to the art community, use a playful graphic style. The key to a successful product is to know your audience!
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Continued at Success
Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
Success You’ll want to follow through with any packaging for CDs, DVDs and audio products. One well-known source for low-cost production and fast turn-around of these products is Kunaki (www.kunaki.com). Give them a visit.
Showing you how easy it is to "Package Your Expertise" to create recurring profits! Register for "3 Essential Giveaway Products to Double Your List-Building Results" 2 at www.marketwyze365.com.
Knowledge is profitable. It takes commitment to create info products, but the rewards are amazing. When you learn to package your expertise, the profits will find you on a daily basis. When you apply these 5 Essential Steps to Info Marketing Success, you’ll find it easy to generate a host of winning products.
Making a Lifetime of Savings Last by Phyllis Borzi on May 7, 2013 We all know that it is important to save for retirement. Knowing how much to save and how to spread that money out over time is challenging, but good information can help. That is why the U.S. Labor Department is looking for the best ideas on how to improve existing periodic benefit statements to show workers who participate in employer-sponsored retirement plans what their savings could look like stretched out over the course of retirement.
Lifetime income illustrations are good for workers at all stages of their careers. Young workers can figure out early on how much to save. Retirees can determine how to make that 401(k) nest egg last. And mid-career workers, who may be struggling to save, can get a realistic view of how their current accounts will look in 10 or 20 years and what steps can be taken to shore up their savings. While we believe that lifetime income illustrations are an effective way to help workers save, we need input from you, the public, to figure out the best way to present this information. The Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will be published in the Federal Register on May 8 is your opportunity to help us get it right. Saving a little bit out of each paycheck for retirement is a challenge for most. For many, it takes foresight to know that the money will be needed in the future – not tomorrow, or even in 10 years, but much later down the road. Knowing how much to save and how to stretch it out over a long retirement can be tough, even discouraging at times. And it takes discipline to leave the money alone until that retirement date comes. But with your input, we can help workers save more for later.
Right now, 401(k) and other retirement account statements include the savings balance in an individual’s account. What many do not show is what this balance would look like if it were spread out on a month-to-month basis over the course of an individual’s retirement, or how this amount may grow over time with additional contributions and investment returns. Without information on what a retirement account balance looks like as a lifetime stream of income, it can be difficult for workers to know whether they are saving enough.
I hope that you will take this opportunity to share your thoughts with us. We look forward to hearing from you. Phyllis Borzi is the assistant secretary of labor for employee benefits security. Article may be seen at this link: http://social.dol.gov/blog/making-a-lifetime-of-savings-last/ Use the Lifetime Income Calculator at this link: http://www.askebsa.dol.gov/lia/home
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
Frontline Learning is making over 40 online learning courses available to 5000 unemployed individuals. Any currently unemployed person is eligible to receive these programs simply be registering online (see link below). There is no hook or catch or "fine print" here - these are full featured online courses and Frontline Learning's objective is to help unemployed individuals improve their ability to compete in the current challenging employment climate. Please forward this message on to anyone who might benefit, or anyone who might know someone who could benefit. These online courses focus on general workplace capabilities as well as selling, customer service and productivity skills. A course titled "Win the Job War" is designed to help unemployed people compete in a tough job market. For unemployed individuals these free online courses can: • Keep skills sharp as their job search progresses • Help them stay motivated and engaged • Provide them with completion certificates to present during job interviews Here is the link to learn more and register to receive the free courses: http://frontlinelearning.com/Giving-Back.html Thanks in advance, for your willingness to forward this message on to anyone who might benefit. Best Regards,
Dan Rust Dan Rust 763.443.9557
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
Lamplighter Contributors Jerry Clifford is a Project and Program Manager experienced with all aspects of software project development. As both employee and consultant he worked with some of the nation’s premier companies including AT&T, Cisco Systems, and Merck. He holds a graduate degree in mathematics, earned certifications in project management and information systems auditing (CISA) and was elected to two terms as President of the EDP Auditors Association, New Jersey Chapter. He is the published author of several technical and non-technical books on topics ranging from computer math to car repair and carpentry.
Rod Colón — ETP Founder Master Networker, Professional Development, Executive Coach, Speaker, Author Weekly Co-Host of Radio Show "YOUR CAREER IS CALLING" Rod Colón Consulting, LLC 732-367-5580 www.rodcolon.com Rod is the author of the book Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs
Sandee Hemphill Info Marketing Strategist – Create Info Products that Extend Your Reach & Expand Your Income Location Professional Training & Coaching MarketWyze 365 www.linkedin.com/in/sandeehemphill
Gary Lieberman, Ph. D. Dr. Lieberman is an adjunct professor at Caldwell College where he teaches courses in business administration and computer science and has been published in both IEEE and internal auditing publications. He is employed by a prominent global investment bank in New York City where he is responsible for the global infrastructure and information security. Dr. Lieberman can be contacted at gary@lieberman.us.
Carl E. Reid, CSI — Executive Director www.carlereid.com Chief Operations Officer| Running the Business of "ME" Tel: 201-222-5390 Empowering Today's Professionals - www.ETPNetwork.org Carl is Foreword Author in book Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs
Phyllis Shelton Public Relations & Global Event Producer CEO iPower Global Solutions - www.ipowegs.com iPower Global Solutions consist of a team of experts who deliver an array of professional consultative, execution and implementation services that provide increased value to our clients. Our services include project management, publicity, event and conference plan-
ning, philanthropic advisory services, fundraising, and social media development. iPowergs.com iPowerIncentives.com 21st Century Career & Community Expo Oct 24th 2013 Register Today: www.21stCenturyExpo.com "Putting Scholarship, Leadership and Citizenship To Work"
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
Lamplighter Staff Adelaida (Aida) Rodriguez is the Editor-in-Chief and Contributing Writer of the Lamplighter Newsletter. She is a Project Manager Professional (PMP), Business Analyst/ Consultant at the Warranty Recovery Specialist, LLC adelaida.rodriguez1@verizon.net 732-404-0255 Eric Nilsson is the Compositor and Contributing Writer for Lamplighter. Eric enjoys the art and science of newspaper layout. He has been an IT consultant at the Professional Service Group of New Brunswick and previously worked for North Jersey Media Group (Bergen Evening Record) as a Project Manager and Programmer/Analyst. Interests include economics, history, and journalism. Email: ericnilsson@earthlink.net; LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ericsnilsson Barbara Daisak is the Lamplighter Contributing Writer & Proofreader. In addition, she is a Learning, Training, & Development Specialist and Microsoft Certified Master Instructor. Barb is also an Instructor Adjunct with the County Colleges of New Jersey with specialties in the Technology Training Divisions and Corporate Training Programs. Phone Numbers:732.863.4948 ― 732.616.2397-mobile Email Barbara at: bndaisak@verizon.net
ETP and You To Help Veterans Please share this with your network. We are also looking for other volunteers and partner organizations to help with this initiative to get more military veterans employed. Non-profit, Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP) is on a mission to help as many military veterans as possible land jobs in the next 90 days. SIGN UP is free at www.ETPnetwork.org - Since 2004 proven job search training, career management education programs and our book "Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs" by ETP founder Rod Colon, ETP has inspired thousands to safely land jobs. As Chief Operations Officer [pro-bono] at Empowering Today's Professionals, I remember what it was like transitioning out of the United States Marine Corps and being on unemployment. I felt embarrassed, I had low self esteem and it hurt that my military service did not seem to matter much to non-military citizens. I would not wish those feelings on anyone. Leveraging my experience, I'm spearheading this initiative for those who served in the military as an ETP priority. With a global support network, Empowering Today's Professionals is doing it's part to get America back to work. In your SIGN UP application Please type "VETERAN" and credit the person who sent you this email as the referrer. I'll be on the look out for your application to connect with you and provide a personal job search /career game plan. We are also looking for other volunteers and partner organizations to help with this initiative to get more military veterans employed. SIGNUP free at www.ETPnetwork.org - Empowering Today's Professionals Carl E, E Reid, CSI (USMC 1979/1980) Chief Operations Officer Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP)
Tel: 201-222-5390 Web: http://www.etpnetwork.org/ Carl is the author of the book: Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs)
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Volume 5, Issue 3 June-July, 2013
July 1-3, 1863
July 4, 1776
July 14, 1789
July 20, 1969
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See descriptions of these events